A Place in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly PossumPosted by Browne Estes on May 14th, 2021 There's a place in Florida that built a 12-foot-high monument in the middle of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone wish to accomplish that? Well, to start, heroes are hard to find within this place in Florida - the Panhandle capital of scotland - Wausau, home of fewer than 500 persons during Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley. Why not the possum, an unlikely hero to say the least? Nobody else puts the possum over a pedestal. Why not Wausau? Secondly, in 1982, Wausau got fed up with being left out in the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Every put in place Florida needs a festival. And not one put in place Florida carries a Possum Festival. Why Find Out More ? If you've never gone to Washington County, you probably will think I'm making this up. If you have been to Washington County, you'll understand - and know this is a true story. Wausau, it ended up, had some pretty powerful possum politicians in early '80s. Here are two things they accomplished: They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the first Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the building in the monument along State Highway 77 in Wausau. They even got the United States Congress to advertise the possum. browse around here joined the fun by the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may have a place to hold its annual Fun Day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among other things, the festival attracts thousands of people annually, plus they find it irresistible. Time out for many educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is the same lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when six is going to do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and shows its ugly body only at night. webpage 's why, when you're in the right put in place Florida, you can hear possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it is simple enough to trap (or shoot) one. An inscription for the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's role in providing 'both fur and food' throughout the centuries. It goes on say: 'Their presence here has provided a resource of nutritious and flavorful food in normal times and contains been a significant aid to human survival in times of distress and critical need.' Laugh if you want. The people of Wausau will laugh together with you - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.Like it? Share it! More by this author |